Chief's Staff (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
This ornamented staff is an important part of a Songye chief’s regalia. He holds it in his right hand when swearing his oath of office and carries it with him for all official events and ceremonies.
The head on top of this staff bears a metal strip similar to the copper strip on the community power figure in the pedestal to the right. The shield-like form in the staff’s center is decorated both front and back with miniature masks, signifying the chief’s association with bwadi bwa kifwebe, a society that plays many roles in the life of the community and supports the chief’s economic and political authority.
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